Our Most Memorable Wines of 2024

As I have done the last few years, I asked our team to share a wine or two that stuck with them from all the ones they'd tried in 2024, and why. This is always one of my favorite blogs to put together. I love seeing the breadth of wine interests of the Tablas Creek team. More than that, I love seeing what inspired them. If you don't work at a winery, you might expect that those of us who do spend most of our time drinking our own wines, but in my experience, that's far from the case. Most people who find a career in wine do so because they find it fascinating, and that interest doesn't go away just because they've landed at a particular winery, even a winery that they love. And most people who work at wineries look at exploring other wines as an enjoyable form of continuing education.

Each time I put this list together, I'm reminded of the degree to which the memorableness of a wine is tied to the occasion for which and the company with whom it was opened. That's one of the magical things about wine. It comes in a serving size that is meant to be shared. Most of the best wines shine particularly brightly with food. So opening a bottle of wine is a shared experience that unfolds over time. It fosters conversation and connection. And because each wine is alive revisiting one can be like checking in with an old friend.

Here's everyone's submission, in their own words and only very lightly edited, in alphabetical order (except mine, which is at the end, with some concluding thoughts):

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
My most memorable wine wasn't the rarest or most expensive this year. It was a 2019 L.A. Cetto Nebbiolo enjoyed during our honeymoon on the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico, this past January.

Amber and I escaped the cold, wet winter of Paso Robles and spent ten unforgettable days exploring the Oaxacan coast, from Puerto Escondido to Bahia de La Luna. We dined at a 5-star restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean, savoring a fantastic meal alongside the Nebbiolo.

Sharing that bottle with my wife as the sun dipped below the horizon created a memory that goes beyond the wine itself. It's a reminder of our incredible journey through coastal Oaxaca and the magic of shared experiences. This experience showed me that the best times with wine can be more about the people, the place, and the feeling. These things can make a simple bottle of wine truly special.

Neil Collins, Director of Winemaking
Most memorable wine of the year. This is never easy because we do enjoy lots of bottles over the course of a year, and I have a sieve-like memory!!

I'm going to break the rules because sometimes one must! I'm going with a whole experience, I was able to visit Domaine Weinbach in Alsace with a group from Lone Madrone, during a Rhine River Cruise. I have wanted to visit Weinbach for decades. It did not disappoint, if there is a better white wine producer anywhere I have not been there! We poured Cuvée Catherine from magnum on the ship that night, perfect. The second is another cruise-related wine. We became very good friends with a couple on the first Tablas Rhone River cruise. We were visiting them in Carlsbad recently and they shared a bottle that they had picked up on a shore trip from a later cruise. A Chapoutier Hermitage Chante Alouette (Marsanne) 2014, it was stunning.

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
I enjoyed a lot of good wine in many fun situations in 2024. I participated in wine dinners, blind tastings, and good old-fashioned tableside chats with friends. The one wine that stands out was this 2014 Oveja Negra from Lone Madrone paired with Tablas Creek lamb. We had multiple heavy-hitting wines with that meal, but I just kept coming back to the pairing. My opinion is probably skewed from my host saying her goal was to make my most memorable wines of the year list, but hey, it worked, Lisa!

Terrence Crowe, Tasting Room
Some of the most memorable wines for me each year are thought provoking options that generally have a few years of cellar time prior to consumption. This year I opened a Tablas Creek 2011 Antithesis and was pleasantly surprised. It was one of those vintages from Paso where cellar time seemed necessary across the board. A delicate vintage that was less than showy upon release. The antithesis was one of those wines that never particularly drove my immediate interest in the tasting room upon release. This 2011 antithesis with extended bottle age was fantastic. The sheer joy I get from aged Roussanne and Chardonnay is profound. The day two pour of the 2011 antithesis did not disappoint either. 

The other memorable wines consist of a few magnum bottles bestowed upon me by Tablas Creek. For the holidays I received a 2015 Esprit Rouge and a 2015 Esprit Blanc offering in magnum format. The Esprits are world-class, highly age-worthy renditions that embody the essence of Tablas Creek vineyards. The overall generosity and my sheer enjoyment in the series with a few years in bottle couple to make this a truly fantastic gift. Gratitude and gustatory delight will exude outwardly as I consume these large format bottles in an optimal window for mass appeal. 

Chelsea Franchi, Senior Assistant Winemaker
My husband and I got married on October 9, which is planted squarely in the middle of the harvest season. That means every year it’s a toss-up to see if we’ll get to celebrate on our actual anniversary or if we’ll celebrate on a later (less busy) date. This year, we were able to go out to dinner on the real day, and it was spectacular.  We went to Six Test Kitchen, an intimate Michelin-starred restaurant nestled in Tin City here in Paso Robles. We had Champagne with the earlier, lighter courses, and for the richer, meatier courses, we brought along a bottle of 2015 Ridge Monte Bello. The wine was dense and chewy with intensely powerful purple and black fruit, plenty of herb and spice as well as the distinctive Ridge American oak nerve that was seamlessly laced through the wine. The whole evening, we couldn’t help but laugh every time we smelled the wine or took a sip; in that atmosphere, with that food and company, the wine was absolutely perfect. It always feels like a treat to have Ridge on the dinner table, but this night with this meal and this wine, was one of those magic moments.

Barbara Haas, Co-Founder
I don't remember every wine I drank this year, but I can't imagine a better wine than the 1988 Clos de la Roche of Ponsot that we drank with Christmas dinner. Perfectly balanced, quiet but complex, no element stealing the scene from another. Clear clean aroma and taste and great length. Delicious.

Ray King, Tasting Room
My most memorable wines of 2024 came all in one evening. The league of extraordinary gentlemen (a local group of wine and restaurant industry folks) were having dinner at Les Petites Canailles. The wines were flawless and all had a proper spot for this excellent dinner with great friends.

Billecart-Salmon, Brut Sous Bois, Champagne

Domaine de la Mordoree, 2017, Lirac, La Reine Des Bois (GSM)

Domaine Rolet, 2022, Arbois, Jura (Trousseau 58%, Pinot Noir 40%, Poulard 2%)

Le Puy Rolland, Vieilles Vignes, Chateauneuf du Pape, 2022

Mollydooker, McLaren Vale, Carnival of Love, 2018, Shiraz

The Farm Winery, The Big Game (Cabernet Sauvignon 66%, Syrah 27%, Malbec 5%, Petit Verdot 2%), 2018, Paso Robles

John Morris, Tasting Room Manager
My most memorable wine(s) of the year are again in-house, partially because I didn't taste as far and wide as usual, and partially because Tablas Creek wines are so darn good. But first, some background.  

As part of ongoing tasting room staff training, we indulged ourselves in a random sampling of Esprit de Tablas/Beaucastel Blanc, from as far back as 2000. While a few stood out (2004, 2010, 2015, 2017), I was most excited about something that doesn't fully exist yet: a barrel sample of the 2023 Esprit de Tablas Blanc. This wine was so pure, so balanced, and so, yes, exciting - thrilling even -  at this early stage that I literally can't wait for it to be bottled so I can taste it again. VINsiders - look for a bottle to be included in your fall 2025 shipment.

Followers of this page may know that we launched an elevated tasting this summer, the Legacy Tasting. This tasting offers an opportunity to taste new and old Esprits and Panoplies side by side. We've been thrilled with the results, but selfishly, the opportunity to taste the 2017 Panoplie as we open bottles for this tasting has been revelatory. For my money this may be the single best bottle we've yet produced.

...And As for Me
I spent more time on the road this year than I have in two decades. Some of that was because after a few scarce vintages we finally had enough wine to sell. Some of it was because I identified early in the year that export markets were likely to be a growth opportunity and was lucky enough to be invited to represent Paso Robles on a California Wine Institute tour to Japan and Korea. And some of it was because I made a point to go and visit Beaucastel and see the remarkable cellar that they have spent the last four years building. As my travel plans came into focus, I found myself with a few days to fill between commitments in the UK and my arrival in the Rhone. I decided to spend those days working with our German importer, Veritable Vins et Domaines, and was invited to arrive a day early to spend a day exploring the Rheingau with Christian Ress, co-founder of Veritable and fifth-generation proprietor of Balthasar Ress. I've long loved German Riesling, but had never visited wine country there. With Christian, I got to explore the vineyards on a glorious late fall day, and then taste through a range of his Rieslings. The experience was incredible, and the wines superb.

As great as all those Balthasar Ress wines were, I'm not picking one as my most memorable wine. It's incredibly difficult to have a wine of which you only got a taste be the most memorable, or one of a dozen wines you might have had at a tasting. But the experience definitely primed me for what I am choosing. About a month after I got home, I made an old-fashioned Chinese recipe that my dad used to love from the Craig Claiborne and Virginia Lee's seminal 1972 The Chinese Cookbook.

To pair with the dish (chicken in tomato sauce with water chestnuts, garlic, and ginger) I was looking for a wine with verve and texture and just a hint of sweetness. I ended up picking a wine I'd been sent by a friend who once worked a harvest here at Tablas Creek before jumping into a career in wine retail and eventually distribution. It was the 2020 Peter Lauer Ayler Kupp Stirn Riesling Fass 15 Grosse Lage, a Grand Cru Riesling from the Saar region about 125 miles west of where I'd been in the Rheingau. I was expecting something good, and the wine was more than that. It was electric. There was sweetness, yes, but also vibrant acids, plentiful fruit, and a lovely saline note that I still feel like I can taste, two weeks later. It transformed the meal into something exceptional, and was a fascinating wine to discuss with everyone from my boys, who are just learning about wine, to my mother-in-law, who normally doesn't like sweet wines, to my wife Meghan, who has been alongside many of my most fascinating wine journeys over the last three decades.

A few concluding thoughts:
I did my best to link each wine to a page with information about it, should you want to research details. And while all these wines should be remarkable if you are able to find them, I don't think replicating a specific wine is necessarily the right goal. If there's one thing that I've learned from writing these end-of-year appreciations for a decade now, it's that it really is the confluence of wine and occasion that makes for the most memorable experiences. Wine, after all, is the ultimate social beverage. The size of a bottle means it's something that you share with others. The fact that wine is ephemeral, that each bottle is a reflection of particular grapes grown in a particular place in a particular vintage, means that each one is different and also a unique reflection of time and place. Add in the human element, where the winemaker or winemakers are taking (or not taking) actions based on what they see, smell, and taste, and you have what is in essence a time capsule that comes with the added benefit of helping you enjoy a meal and bring insight into the flavors it contains. It's the perfect starting point for a meaningful evening, and helps bring the food and the people together.

I wish you all memorable food and wine experiences in 2025, and even more than that, the opportunity to share them with people you love.

What the Tablas Creek team will be drinking with our Thanksgivings in 2024

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's brings extended family together for a day of cooking, eating, and reflecting on what we're grateful for. It's still largely uncommercialized. And it comes at a time of year where those of us who work at wineries are finally able to slow down and relax. Even after a relatively early harvest like this year's, that's something to be thankful for.

Before diving into specific recommendations, it's worth going over some things that don't change. Try not to stress over your choices. Open a range of wines. Expect each of them to sing with a dish or two, coexist peacefully enough with another, and maybe clash with something. That can be fun, and instructive. Remember, and accept that it's OK, that nothing will pair particularly well with sweet potato casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts. Open a few more wines than you think you'll need, and don't feel bad about having wine leftovers, along with your food. You'll likely learn something, and have fun along the way. Remember that open bottles kept in the fridge should be fine for a week or more. And if you're still stressing after reading all these recommendations, I refer you to the 2016 piece on W. Blake Gray's blog where he set up a simple 5-question quiz to answer the question "is this wine good for Thanksgiving". I'm sure I haven't gone through every possible combination, but I've never gotten any answer other than "yes".

OK, now that I've told you any choice is perfectly fine, it's only fair that I acknowledge my own preferences. After all, there are wines that I tend to steer clear of, like wines that are powerfully tannic (which tend to come off even more so when they're paired with some of the sweeter Thanksgiving dishes), and wines that are high in alcohol (which tend to be fatiguing by the end of what is often a marathon of eating and drinking). But that still leaves you plenty of options. With a traditional turkey dinner, I tend to steer people toward richer whites and rosés, and fruitier reds relatively light in oak and tannin. Plenty of Tablas Creek wines fit these broad criteria, so if you want to stay in the family, you could try anything from Marsanne to Esprit Blanc to Dianthus Rosé to Counoise or Cotes de Tablas. Richer red meat preparations open up a world of Mourvedre-based reds young or old, from Esprit de Tablas to Panoplie to En Gobelet, which just (say it out loud) sounds like something you should be drinking at this time of year.  

But I'm just one person. As I've done the last several years, I reached out to our team to ask them what they were planning on drinking this year. This is super fun for me to see, and I'm hoping it will be as much fun for you. One thing I love is that while some will be drinking Tablas Creek, many (including me!) have made other choices. And that's normal. Those of us who work in wine usually do so part because we love its many facets, and there's an amazing variety of wine made around the world. Whether you choose an American wine for this quintessentially American holiday, or celebrate America as a melting pot by choosing wines from elsewhere, I refer you back to Blake Gray's article. You're not wrong.

My team's responses are below, in their own words, in alphabetical order. It's a bit of a smaller list this year since I was a little late getting out the request, but if you need more inspiration, check out the team's suggestions from other eras. One great thing about Thanksgiving pairing blogs... they're timeless, since the dishes don't change much and there's almost always a new vintage of each wine.

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
This Thanksgiving, Amber, Haylee, Brandon, and I are headed to my sister Kacey’s place in Carpenteria for a gathering of family and friends. We’re planning a feast: smoked turkey, ham, and all the traditional sides.

Over the three days we’re there, we’ll most likely enjoy many wines. Some that we know will be consumed around the dinner table include a crisp Grenache Blanc from Absolution Cellars, The Dodd from Lone Madrone, a bolder red for my brother-in-law, and a bottle of Gold Coast Pinot Noir from Story of Soil that I’ve been saving for a special occasion.

Amanda Collins, Cellar Master
It’s a two-Thanksgiving kind of year for this Collins family!

For our festivities, I predict a generous selection of wines to accompany the meals. Our first dinner will be an intimate gathering of just 40 (yes, you read that right)! With an array of homemade dishes, we’ll opt for wines that are clean and classic to complement—not clash with—all the flavors. One of my go-to choices for such culinary adventures is Sandlands Contra Costa Red Table Wine. It’s effortlessly confident, offering juicy red fruits with a touch of earthiness on the finish. It’s a wine that has never disappointed me. Another crowd-pleaser is our very own Counoise, which I’m sure will get a mention or two in others’ posts as well. This bottle is packed with crunchy red fruit, a vibrant mid-palate, and a bright, lifted finish that keeps you coming back for more.

For our second evening, a more traditional affair with just five guests, we can afford to go a little bolder since there are fewer palates to please. We’ll start with Littorai Sonoma Coast Chardonnay—complex, fresh, and wonderfully light, it’s the perfect wine to kick things off without weighing you down. Then, because we can, we’ll do a side-by-side of Esprit Rouge and Beaucastel Rouge. Both are textural, rich, and plush, with dark, luxurious notes and long, satisfying finishes.

Here’s to celebrating Thanksgiving—twice, and in style!

Austin Collins, Cellar and Vineyard
Thanksgiving 2024 is set to be a real doozy. We will be hosting a group of about 40 this year and the beverage choices will surely be a mixed bag. As with most years, the presence of Bristols Cider will be strong. Because, it doesn’t really get much better than cider on a blustery autumnal day, or any day for that matter. As for wine I will throw in a 2023 Lagniappe Seersucker, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Columbia Gorge made by dear friend Lisette Hrapmann (of Swampwater fame). For reds I would like to keep up with tradition and open a few bottles of Beaujolais, this year focusing on the wines of Quentin Harel, a favorite of the young producers of the region. Cheers to all and keep your heads up!

Neil Collins, Director of Winemaking
It’s that time again! Choosing the wines that will grace the thanksgiving table.

It’s a big group this year so I will include a magnum of 2015 Esprit Blanc. I poured this at a “Friendsgiving” event recently and it was perfect out of magnum. We brought some Rieslings back from Germany this summer so i think we will open a Furst Lowenstein, Furstlicher Kallmuth 2021. I am a fan of Antiquum Farms in Oregon and I think their 2021 Alium Pinot Gris will be a good fit. Lastly i will have to open a bottle of the very first Lone Madrone Estate Zinfandel 2022. In reality there are so many wines to choose from, but as long as the company is in good spirit and there is food on the table then the wine will take its place. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks to you all…… Neil

PS Yes there will be cider.

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
I am having a small gathering this Thanksgiving, so I am opening up fewer bottles than usual. I still want to experiment with how different wines play with the meal and will open a sparkling, white, and red. The sparkling is a Champagne from Laurent-Perrier that our Controller Denise Chouinard gifted me when I graduated from my Wine EMBA program two years ago. I’ve been sitting on this one! The white wine is a South African Chardonnay from Tesselaarsdal that I’m told can rival a white Burgundy. Game on! Finally, the red is a Beaujolais Nouveau from Domaine Dupeuble. This style of wine is a Thanksgiving classic that I have yet to try with the meal. I am looking forward to it! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Terrence Crowe, Tasting Room
For this years thanksgiving dining experience I will be opening a few bottles for family.

Kinero Cellars 2022 Macbride Vineyard old vine Chardonnay. 
Tablas Creek Vineyard 2015 Esprit de Tablas rouge.
Kinero Cellars 2022 James Berry vineyard Roussanne. 
Domaine Stephane Ogier, 2020 Saint Joseph Le Passage.

Happy thanksgiving and may your dining and drinking experiences fill your souls with joy. Cheers, Terrence

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
This year we'll be spending the holiday in West Sonoma with friends and family. On tap is some Esprit de Tablas Blanc 2018, and a special Sonoma County wine I've owned since 2008 that I'm really excited to dust off and check in on: a magnum of Ridge 2006 Lytton Springs. A mixed-blacks legend based on Zinfandel but with a heavier hit of Petite Sirah than their Geyserville bottling gets, should be in a fine place with the larger format at the 18 year old mark. Happy holidays!  

Jules Giese, Tasting Room Team Lead
This Thanksgiving I’ll be staying local and celebrating with some good friends. I’m very lucky and get to take a backseat when it comes to cooking this year but of course I'll still be bring wine. I managed to get my hands on a magnum of 2017 Esprit Blanc a while back. It's a vintage I wasn't fortunate enough to pour in the tasting room but is well loved by those who did. I've been lucky enough to try it here and there. It's been a while since I last had it but the Esprit just gets better and better with age so I think it'll be an great pairing for the meal that will hold it's own against the reds. Also 2017 was a pretty wet year for Paso so it feels fitting opening a bottle this rainy Thanksgiving week.

Dusty Hannah, Tasting Room
This year my Thanksgiving wines will consist of:

• A sparkling Gamay from Domaine Migot Brut from the Lorraine region of France. I like a good light bodied red such as Gamay and I decided to throw some sparkling into the mix because it's a celebration!
• I had a wonderful tasting at Brick House, a biodynamic producer in the Willamette, in September so I will be opening a 2022 Chardonnay Cascadia. A lovely pairing with my roasted turkey and sweet dinner rolls.
• In addition to Turkey on my Thanksgiving table this year there will also be brisket and Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving with at least one Tablas Creek wine. Therefore I think my 2015 Esprit de Tablas would be a lovely pairing. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Gustavo Prieto, Biodynamicist
We are starting with bubbles, with a biodynamic producer from the Loire valley, the Cremant from Amirault, a blend mostly of Chenin Blanc, some Chardonnay and Cab Franc. For the main dinner, we’ll have as always one of my favorites wines from Tablas: an older vintage of the Esprit de Tablas Blanc. And for a red, we’ll be opening a 2015 magnum of the Esprit de Tablas. 

Randy Thurman, Systems Administrator & Facilities Manager
There will be a couple bottles open with dinner most likely an Esprit Blanc and a red wine of some sort. Always a surprise on the red and it changes every year. Most likely a syrah of some sort as it’s my father in laws favorite type of wine.

And as for me...
Typically, my choice is to open the largest bottle I have to hand at Thanksgiving gatherings. There's usually a story behind a big bottle, and the randomness of "just open it" adds a certain amount of pleasurable discovery to the gathering, as well as the festivity that large bottles bring. But I'm spending Thanksgiving in Vermont where I grew up, and my dad really didn't collect large-format bottles. So we did the best we could by buying a magnum of Beaujolais (a Morgon from Domaine Lapierre that we found at our lovely local wine shop Meditrina) and we'll open some Esprit Blanc, probably a rosé as well, and we'll probably also break into a dessert wine, because if not with a meal like this, when you have a crowd around the table and aren't expected to do anything beyond play games and watch football, when?!? Beyond that, we'll see.

Wherever you are, however you're celebrating, please know that we are thankful for you. May your celebrations be memorable, the wines you open outstanding, and the company even better.

When you Need a Pairing, Who Do You Call? An Interview with Wine Club Assistant Janelle Bartholomew

Janelle Bartholomew is one of the first voices our club members hear when they call into our wine club office with questions about their membership, orders, or just for an opinion on the best pairing for that night's dinner. She’ll celebrate her 10-year anniversary at Tablas Creek next year, and it’s high time we introduced her to you here on the Tablas Creek Blog.

Janelle moved to the Central Coast shortly after graduating high school and never looked back. It was by chance that she found herself applying to Tablas Creek and, after an initial bump in the road, ended up working in our tasting room. From there, she graduated to the wine club team and has been answering our wine club members’ calls ever since.

She brings enthusiasm to the team, characterized by her heart-warming laugh that can be heard throughout the office. She coordinates regular themed tastings with members of the Tablas Creek team diving into the wines of specific regions around the world. She is a wine and food enthusiast and a great fit with the ethos of Tablas Creek. I can't wait for you to meet her.

 Who are you?

Janelle Bartholomew. I am the Wine Club Assistant here at Tablas Creek.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Livermore and am fourth generation from that area. My great, great, great uncle immigrated there from Germany and had a 160-acre farm partially planted to Zinfandel in Livermore in the late 1800s. I think it's cool that it's part of my heritage. I moved to SLO in 1997 and never left.

Can you tell us a bit about your family?

I have a wonderful, very funny husband, David, and three kids. My oldest is Liam, he's 20, Aubrey is 13, and Autumn is 11. They're all very wonderful, happy, loving people.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I coach softball for my daughter's softball league and like to read. I really like my alone time. I love hiking. I love laughing with my husband, and I like drinking wine.

How did you end up working at Tablas Creek?

I moved to Templeton from SLO and was looking for work on the weekends after being a stay-at-home mom for a few years. I asked my friend Chris Smith at Mitchella if they needed any help in the tasting room on weekends. He said no, but that Tablas Creek does. I had just tasted there for the first time and loved their wine, so I applied. I interviewed with John [Morris] and didn't get the job!

Luckily, a few weeks later, I got an email from John saying they ended up needing another person, so I took the job. I like to think he realized he had made the biggest mistake of his life [laughs].

After about a year, I became friends with Dani on the wine team. She recommended me to Nikki [Getty] for part-time work in the wine club office, and I moved there in 2016. I thought it would be a wonderful environment for me with two fellow moms, and I've loved every minute of my job. I love my coworkers, and I feel very fortunate.

What do you enjoy most about working at Tablas Creek?

The thing that I love most is definitely the people. I love my coworkers. I love everybody who works here. I feel like Tablas Creek brings people in who really appreciate what Tablas Creek stands for. I love the wine. I love that things are constantly changing and evolving. I love the scenery. Just looking out the window, it's hard to have a bad day.

Working here also made me appreciate nature more because you're so in tune with it. I think about how we need rain and sunshine and all these things to make our business work. I'm more in tune now with what's happening in my environment and its importance for everyday life. I appreciate waking up every day, knowing that the agriculture business is important in California, and being a part of it, which makes me feel like my job is valued.

If a genie said you could work at a winery anywhere in the world [that wasn't Tablas Creek], where would it be?

I really like cold weather, so I would like to be somewhere like the Willamette Valley. My in-laws lived up near Vancouver, Washington, for over 10 years, and I spent a lot of time up there. I've had wines from that region. They're beautiful, and I prefer that type of weather. I thought about that question for a while. So many different wine regions. You could go to Italy, Spain, Hungary, pretty much anywhere, but that's where I would go.

What's the best bottle of wine you ever had?

I had to think about that for a while. It's so hard because you drink wine for different reasons. The one that stands out was when I brought a Domaine Weinbach Grand Cru, Riesling, to my in-law's house when my Father-in-Law was diagnosed with cancer. He was the only person in the family who drank wine with me, and I remember drinking that bottle with him for Thanksgiving dinner. That was very special.

What three things would you bring if you were stuck on an island?

I would bring a fishing pole, a piece of flint and an ax. I would be a survivalist.

Is there anything else you want to share with the Tablas Creek audience?

One of the things that I really like about my job is when people call and say, "I'm having such and such for dinner. What wine should I have with it?" I wish people would call and ask that more because I am interested in what people are making for dinner and sharing with their friends, even on a random Wednesday. Give us a call and say, "Hey, what can I pair with my wine?" Because it's one of my favorite questions to answer at Tablas Creek.

Also, don't forget to vote!

Harvest Interns 2024: Loaded with Enthusiasm and Ready for a Successful Career in Wine

By Ian Consoli

Every year, we sit down with our harvest interns to learn about their wine journey and what brought them into the cellar at Tablas Creek. This year's batch of interns each brought a level of enthusiasm to the cellar that made each of their presences known from day one. Whether introducing themselves to our team in the office, enjoying a taste of wine with our tasting room team, or asking for pointers on how to use the espresso machine, the 2024 harvest interns, Austin, Elena, and Rachel, made it known that they are thrilled to be here.

With that first impression in tow, I sat down with each of them to find out their past, their journey into wine, and their ambitions going forward. The singular theme that stood out was their level of intention towards their journey into making a career in wine. They may have come from different backgrounds, but each of them caught the wine bug, and they have every motivation to make it their life's work. They are fantastic. I can't wait for you to meet them:

2024 Harvest Interns: (from left) Austin, Rachel, Elena

Who are you?

My name's Elena. I'm an intern here at Tablas Creek, working Harvest for 2024.

I'm Rachel. I'm one of the amazing interns at Tablas Creek!

I'm Austin Gambler. I live in Cayucos, California and I'm a harvest intern at Tablas Creek.

What's your story?

Elena: I grew up in Long Beach, California, and I moved up to this area seven years ago to go to college at Cal Poly. The Central Coast has been my home ever since. My undergraduate degree was in finance and business administration. I worked as an investment advisor for a couple of years before going back to school for environmental science and diving into the wine industry.

Rachel: I'm from Newport Beach, California. I went to Cal Poly and have been away for a while, and now I'm back on the Central Coast and loving it. I studied animal science and fell into wine while traveling around the world. I lived in Prague for a year, and then I taught English. I lived in New Zealand for three years and worked in wine there.

Austin: I grew up in Birmingham, AL and moved to San Luis Obispo County in 2015 to attend Cal Poly. I was really inspired by the California coast and the culture out here and wanted a change. I studied biochemistry, and after I finished, I got into wine.

So how'd you get into wine?

Elena: It started as a hobby, just going wine tasting with friends and my boyfriend. I always felt an affinity towards the people pouring for us in the tasting room and a little bit of jealousy. I wondered, "why do you get this super fun job?" So, while in grad school, I decided to take a part-time job pouring in a tasting room; the rest was history. I just really fell in love with being able to teach people about wine and tell stories about wine, and then my curiosity just kept going and going. The next step was to work a harvest. So here we are.

Rachel: My first job was when I was in college at Cal Poly and I worked at a tasting room in Paso when I was 21. I didn't know anything about wine, but I just loved it. I liked talking to people, and then I started traveling. I knew I wasn't going to be a vet, so I was like, what am I going to do now? When I went to New Zealand, I worked at a winery and was like, oh, this is awesome. Cause I get to use my science brain that I loved from studying a lot of chemistry and working with animals. And then it's also such a social thing and I love traveling so you can travel around the whole world with wine.

Austin: I grew up in a half-Italian, half-Jewish family, so wine has always been around for me. My family on my mom's side is from Sicily, and I feel like that comes with a really strong wine culture. Then, moving to this area and getting into the farm-to-table movement, I was able to bike downtown to the grocery store and see, oh, this wine's made in my backyard. That's pretty cool. I want to get into that. I felt like I had a pretty strong draw to microbiology in school, and it's one of the biggest parts of wine, so that's where the initial interest started.

Have you worked a harvest before?

Elena: Nope. This is my first harvest.

Rachel: This is my fourth harvest. The first one was in Marlborough, New Zealand. The second was in Germany, and the third was in Central Otago in New Zealand, so two in New Zealand.

Austin: I've done a couple harvests now. For some, I made my own wine in my garage or helped farm some vineyards for some friends. But this is my first official cellar harvest, processing a lot of fruit, and seeing how everything moves.

How did you end up working at Tables Creek?

Elena: I worked at another Regenerative Organic vineyard down in Santa Barbara County and poured for Charlie from the tasting room at Tablas. He noticed my passion for regenerative agriculture and recommended I follow Tablas Creek on social media. That was my first time learning about Tablas Creek. Shortly after, I saw an email that Jason was coming to do a tasting down in Goleta. I had a class that night, but I rushed out and caught Jason right as he was leaving the wine bar. I introduced myself and inquired about a harvest internship. He gave me Chelsea's contact information. We had a Zoom call that week and really hit it off.

Rachel: I visited California with my mom and friend, and I came for a tasting. I love biodynamics and the whole regenerative ag sort of thing. So, I did a tasting and then met the winery crew. This was last harvest. And I realized I would love to work in California. So I talked to Chelsea and then did an interview, and then here we are a year later.

Austin: Yeah, I feel like, shortly after starting in the industry here, Tablas was pretty high on my list. I did a tasting here, probably six months into getting into the wine industry in 2021. I had never done a wine tasting or anything like that. I was super keen to learn, and I had the most educational experience by far at Tablas as far as the history of the area, wine history, varietal history and blending. I was pretty inspired by that. That really resonated with me.

How's it going so far?

Elena: It's going great. It has really opened my eyes. I mean, I knew it was a lot of work to make wine, but I mean, it is so much work to make wine. It's really awesome to see how much everybody cares about making a quality product, from starting in the vineyard to the grapes coming into the cellar. Everyone is super intentional every step of the way, cleaning everything thoroughly, setting everything up properly and then processing all the fruit we started getting.

Rachel: Amazing. So good. The team is awesome. And yeah, it's good. Lots of different beautiful-looking fruit so far, so it's exciting.

Austin: I'm absolutely loving it. I didn't even have a cup of coffee this morning, and I'm absolutely frothing. Every time we have fruit around, I'm just excited and hyped up, and it gives me a lot of energy. So I'm in my happy place.

What's the best bottle of wine you've ever had?

Elena: I think what makes a good bottle of wine is good company and good food. Before I moved up here and was still living in Santa Barbara in grad school, one of my friend's partners had worked several harvests. They invited us over to bring a couple of bottles of our own, and they would share some of theirs with us. Then, we would just have a wine night and enjoy the food they cooked. Jared had worked two harvests in New Zealand, so he shared a bottle of Clos Henry Sauvignon Blanc, a place where he had worked harvest. It was totally different than any wine I had had before. It was super aromatic and just delicious, and there was a great story to go along with it. He smuggled it in his suitcase; some bottles were lost, but this one made it. Hopefully, I can return the favor once we have some 2024 wines in bottle.

Rachel: I think that question can be answered in terms of the actual wine, but I see it as the experience. I was in the Dolomites in Northern Italy, and I was with my mom and my best friend, and we had hiked for 10 hours up the Alps, and we got to this little Rifugio, which is this little hut in the mountains, and we had this bottle of wine as we sat looking at the sunset. We had been hiking the whole day, and then you're in the top of the mountains, enjoying this bottle of Lagrein from a local producer and just looking over the Alps at all the things that we'd hiked, and it was awesome. And I also love bubbles.

Austin: I think it's kind of hilarious, but I think I'm going to say it's the first wine I ever made. I'm not saying it's the most delicious wine I've ever tasted, but it was rewarding after farming the vineyard with a good friend. We made a sparkling wine like a pet nat. I was really interested in that, especially as a chemist, getting all my numbers and calculations and trying to capture that native ferment at the right time so the bottle's not exploding. And so we have bubbles. That first bottle we opened was just perfect bubbles coming out, and I was so stoked. I think I cried because I was like, it worked!

And what's next for you?

Elena: I'm definitely committed to working in the wine industry. I really like sharing stories about wine, and I really like teaching people about wine and helping the wine business thrive. Maybe something where I can help connect people to that story and, through that, help them learn to enjoy buying and drinking wine. I like being a part of that whole cycle, so I'll be looking for a job in that realm after harvest.

Rachel: I'm thinking of going to Australia. I definitely want to be a winemaker. I know that for sure. And I still want to travel more, so I'm thinking maybe going to Australia next or South America. But as of now, I'm unsure. Stay tuned.

Austin: I would love to visit the Rhone after working here and see the origins of how we do things. I feel super lucky to work with old-world equipment, like beautiful wooden uprights and foudres. As far as winemaking goes, I am looking at doing a southern hemisphere harvest in Chile. I did one in New Zealand last year. But Chile, to me, is calling a little bit more than somewhere like Australia or maybe even South Africa because, from everything I've heard, it seems and feels like it has this old-world kind of grip on it.

Anything else you want to share with the Tablas Creek audience?

Elena: Just that the wine here is amazing and the people are even more, well, I won't say even more amazing, but the people are amazing, and it makes the wine even greater because there's just so much love going into every single part of the cycle in every bottle of wine.

Austin: Before I started here, I was invited to the Esprit vertical tasting from 2000 to 2023. Jason and Chelsea were leading the tasting, and Jason was like, "alright, who was here for the first Esprit release?" And there were multiple people in the room who raised their hands. I thought that was the coolest thing. There's something really special happening here. Tablas is a benchmark for California winemaking and viticulture. I think that's a really beautiful thing and something worth getting involved in at any point. Being a part of something bigger than all of us is making an impact. Being somebody who supports that says a lot. So keep drinking the wine. It's made really well - responsibly and sustainably. Enjoy.

Our Most Memorable Wines of 2023

As I have done the last few years, I asked our team to share a wine or two that stuck with them from all the ones they'd tried in 2023, and why. This is always one of my favorite blogs to put together. I love seeing the breadth of wine interests of the Tablas Creek team. More than that, I love seeing what inspired them. If you don't work at a winery, you might expect that those of us who do spend most of our time drinking our own wines, but in my experience, that's far from the case. Most people who find a career in wine do so because they find it fascinating, and that interest doesn't go away just because they've landed at a particular winery, even a winery that they love. And most people who work at wineries look at exploring other wines as an enjoyable form of continuing education.

This year, I tried to be more conscious of fostering that continuing education by opening some of the treasures left from my dad's cellar with our team. It was gratifying to see that some of those made people's year-end lists. But what stood out, as usual, was the degree to which the memorableness of a wine was tied to the occasion for which and the company with whom it was opened. As Neil said so well in his submission last year, it is "with food, company and occasion that great bottles become truly memorable ones."   

Here's everyone's submission, in their own words and only very lightly edited, in alphabetical order (except mine, which is at the end, with some concluding thoughts):

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
Mine is not about just one wine; it was an experience.

Every year, an email from Jason marks a special occasion at Tablas—Francois and Cesar Perrin are in town to participate in the blending of the Esprit. I'm always excited when that Monday morning email arrives: "Gather the tasting room team; Cesar and Francois brought some wine they want to share." This time, it led to a midweek tasting featuring six vintages each of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc and Chateau de Beaucastel Vieilles Vignes Roussanne. (The 2009 vintage of this was my favorite of the tasting.) So, on an ordinary Wednesday at 8:00 am, our tasting room team gathered for a session that was something to remember.

No formalities, just pouring and sipping. The Perrins, a dynamic father-son duo, brought in the good stuff, and we delved into twelve wines with zero fuss. These are the moments that remind me I work at a special place. It's not about unraveling complex tasting notes; it's about enjoying the laid-back journey through the evolution of these wines. More than just wine, it's team time that turns a regular Wednesday into a spontaneous celebration. Here's to those unexpected moments that become the most memorable sips of the year!

Neil Collins, Executive Winemaker
I am going to go with winery of the year as I believe it is a property that deserves some recognition. Marci and I were lucky enough to take a short backpack trip up the Loire valley. I made it a point to go and visit Domaine Grosbois outside of Chinon. The entire visit was a treat: farming in the best possible way and producing wines that I loved across the board. An absolute treat!!! If I was pushed to pick one it would be the Gabare. But I’ll take any of the lineup!!

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
2023 was full of incredible wine experiences. Thanks to Jason opening up his father's cellar, I had some of the oldest wine I have ever tried. While those wines land on my list of best wines of 2023, I thought I would focus on the wines I will remember the year for: Barbaresco and Barolo. I was fortunate to spend a couple of weeks in the Piedmont region, where I received an education from vintners and wine shop owners. Two of those bottles were some of the most sought-after in Barolo. Vigna Rionda has established itself as one of the top sites of Barolo's new Grand Crus system. I tried a Vigna Rionda from the site's largest producer, Massolino, and the smallest producer, Guido Porro. Both of these wines were exceptional, serious drinking wines. The Guido was opened the day prior and the way it opened up was more floral than one might expect from a young Barolo. I left the region wholly sold on Nebbiolo, and I am already looking forward to my next glass.

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
My most memorable wines of the year were served side by side with a good friend and a surreal appetizer, just before Christmas. 2018 Domaine Weinbach Cuvée Theo Riesling and 2017 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis paired with “Deep Fried Baby Crabs” at Goshi’s SLO. Dauvissat was in green apple, lemon oil and crushed oyster shell mode, righteously mid-weighted on the palate, whereas the Weinbach was as gingery as the slices themselves, with passion fruit, honey and lime, balanced acidity and a hint of sweetness: simply built for sushi. The crabs were, well, something that would’ve floored Salvador Dali and just what the menu said they were.

Dusty Hannah, Tasting Room
I would not be surprised if my first two wines are not on anybody else's list because they were shared to the tasting room team at Tablas Creek, by Jason Haas, during one of our meetings. Perks of the job. Thanks Jason!

• Chateau Pavie, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux 1970
• Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 1978

There is nothing like trying an old wine and these definitely did not disappoint! I can't help but think about all the facets that went into these and all the time that they were sitting in the bottle just to get to my glass. Incredible.

• Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Rose 2015

This champagne was sent to me as part of my wine education. There was no way I was just going to try it by myself and when I let my buddy have some, he liked it so much he poured it for his pickup party!

• Tablas Creek, Esprit de Tablas 2011
• Tablas Creek, Esprit de Tablas 2017

Although I have had these bottles many times before I shared these two with my parents for Christmas dinner. Paired beautifully with a ribeye. I'm lucky to have had these plenty of times, like I said, but they are very memorable to me. The 2017 still goes down as my all-time favorite wine at Tablas Creek. Happy New Year!

Ray King, Tasting Room
My most memorable wines of the year have been the gifts at various events over the past few weeks. Aged and beautiful. 

1) Chateau Pavie, Saint Emilion, 1970

2) Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1978

3) Tablas Hills, Cuvée Blanc, 1996

4) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Founders’ Reserve, 2001

5) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Panoplie, 2003

6) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc, 2010

Jordan Lonborg, Viticulturist
My most memorable bottle of 2023 was a Desire Lines Shake Ridge Syrah. What made this bottle so memorable was the fact that the great Ann Kraemer, Owner and Vineyard Manager of Shake Ridge Vineyard, opened that bottle for both Neil Collins and myself as we overlooked her property, ate a beautiful dinner, and talked shop about the past, present, and future of grape farming. It was an unforgettable evening with a couple legends. 

Erin Mason, Regenerative Specialist
It was an occasion that brought me to my most memorable bottles of 2023. Just before the start of harvest, I celebrated the fourth anniversary of the Tribute to Grace tasting room opening with the winemaker and team. I’m lucky to be part of two amazing wine families in California—both Tablas Creek and Grace. Angela Osborne, the winemaker and Grenache devotee, has made it a tradition at major celebrations to do a semi-blind tasting of two wines. Only partially blind because we know it’s going to be Grenache… we know one is going to be a Tribute to Grace… and, typically, one Chateauneuf-de-Pape from Chateau Rayas—always the same vintage. This year, we were lucky enough to taste the 2011 Santa Barbara Highlands Grace alongside Rayas. I’ve never described a wine as “transformative,” but this was my second time tasting Rayas and there is truly nothing like it. Also exciting because of the comparisons made between 2011 to 2023 growing seasons in CA. If the Santa Barbara Highlands was any indication, we all have something amazing to look forward to from 2023. Bonne année!

Monica O'Connor, Direct Sales Manager
My most memorable wine of 2023 was the Domaine Matrot Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru 2019.

This wine was so perfectly balanced, I just savored each sip. The mouth was full of preserved lemon, with soft mineral, subtle hazelnut and a whisper of anise and bright chervil. What made it extra special too is that I visited Beaune over the summer and cycled through Meursault!

We enjoyed the wine on Christmas Eve with a creamy polenta and mushroom dish. It was exquisite!

...And As for Me
I was lucky enough to have my wine of the year -- the stunning 1990 Chave Hermitage -- twice in 2023. The first time was for my birthday in June, at home, with just Meghan and Sebastian as Eli was away spending a month working with the Perrins. I then opened it a second time as part of a collection I brought to supply my table at the amazing Paso Purpose event that raised nearly $2,000,000 to support must! charities in August. It takes a special wine to shine at both an intimate dinner and a bustling outdoor function with hundreds of people. And this was the sort of event where everywhere you looked there was something extraordinary being opened. But Paso Robles, you have to remember, is a relatively young wine region. The wineries who started must! charities were all founded this century, and they're all of my generation. So while there were amazing wines on every table, the 1990 Chave still stood out. It was fully mature, quintessentially Syrah with its chocolate and pancetta flavors, but with all the rough edges smoothed away by time. Instead there were lingering flavors of cedar, dried flowers, and loamy earth. Just a treat, and an amazing opportunity to think about how cool it is that we can drink a wine made from the same place by the same family for 16 generations.

A few concluding thoughts:
I did my best to link each wine to a page with information about it, should you want to research details. But I don't think replicating a specific wine is necessarily the right goal. If there's one thing that I've learned from writing these end-of-year appreciations for a decade now, it's that it really is the confluence of wine and occasion that makes for the most memorable experiences. Wine, after all, is the ultimate social beverage. The size of a bottle means it's something that you share with others. The fact that wine is ephemeral, that each bottle is a reflection of particular grapes grown in a particular place in a particular vintage, means that each one is different and also a unique reflection of time and place. Add in the human element, where the winemaker or winemakers are taking (or not taking) actions based on what they see, smell, and taste, and you have what is in essence a time capsule that comes with the added benefit of helping you enjoy a meal and bring insight into the flavors it contains. What a perfect starting point for a meaningful evening.

I also noticed the extent to which many of people's most memorable wines were older. It is for sure a challenge to cellar wines. It requires resources: space, patience, and the ability to buy wine in enough quantity that you can enjoy some in its youth while still having enough to open later. And there's always the risk that by the time you open your bottle it might be corked, or you might have missed its peak. But reading these memories highlights that the rewards can be marvelous. One hack: it's often surprisingly affordable to buy older wines online. Sites like Wine Searcher put older vintages at your fingertips in a way that would otherwise require major investment. For example, a few minutes' search found me this 30-year old bottle of Beaucastel for $109. 

I wish you all memorable food and wine experiences in 2024, and even more than that, the opportunity to share them with people you love.

What the Tablas Creek team is drinking with our Thanksgivings in 2023

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's brings extended family together for a day of cooking, eating, and reflecting on what we're grateful for. It's still largely uncommercialized. And it comes at a time of year where those of us who work at wineries are finally able to slow down and relax. Especially after this year's late, long harvest, that's something to be thankful for indeed.

Before diving into specific recommendations, it's worth going over some things that don't change. Try not to stress over your choices. Open a range of wines. Expect each of them to sing with a dish or two, coexist peacefully enough with another, and maybe clash with something. That can be fun, and instructive. Remember, and accept that it's OK, that nothing will pair particularly well with sweet potato casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts. Open a few more wines than you think you'll need, and don't feel bad about having wine leftovers, along with your food. You'll likely learn something, and have fun along the way. Remember that open bottles kept in the fridge should be fine for a week or more. And if you're still stressing after reading all these recommendations, I refer you to the 2016 piece on W. Blake Gray's blog where he set up a simple 5-question quiz to answer the question "is this wine good for Thanksgiving". I'm sure I haven't gone through every possible combination, but I've never gotten any answer other than "yes".

OK, now that I've told you any choice is perfectly fine, it's only fair that I acknowledge my own preferences. After all, there are wines that I tend to steer clear of, like wines that are powerfully tannic (which tend to come off even more so when they're paired with some of the sweeter Thanksgiving dishes), and wines that are high in alcohol (which tend to be fatiguing by the end of what is often a marathon of eating and drinking). But that still leaves you plenty of options. With a traditional turkey dinner, I tend to steer people toward richer whites and rosés, and fruitier reds relatively light in oak and tannin. Plenty of Tablas Creek wines fit these broad criteria, so if you want to stay in the family, you could try anything from Roussanne and Esprit Blanc to Dianthus Rosé to Counoise or Cotes de Tablas. Richer red meat preparations open up a world of Mourvedre-based reds young or old, from Esprit de Tablas to Panoplie to En Gobelet, which just (say it out loud) sounds like something you should be drinking at this time of year.  

But I'm just one person. As I've done the last several years, I reached out to our team to ask them what they were planning on drinking this year. This is super fun for me to see, and I'm hoping it will be as much fun for you. One thing I love is that while some will be drinking Tablas Creek, many (including me!) have made other choices. And that's normal. Those of us who work in wine usually do so part because we love its many facets, and there's an amazing variety of wine made around the world. Whether you choose an American wine for this quintessentially American holiday, or celebrate America as a melting pot by choosing wines from elsewhere, I refer you back to Blake Gray's article. You're not wrong.

My team's responses are below, in their own words, in alphabetical order.

Janelle Bartholomew, Wine Club Assistant
I am such a traditionalist that I tend to reach for the same bottles of wine each year. Why fix something that isn’t broken, eh?! In our house we always roast a turkey with all the fixings, and my absolute favorite wines to pair with all the goodies are Tablas Creek Counoise, and Bourboulenc.  The Bourboulenc is a newer addition to our table because it is a relatively newer addition to TCV’s portfolio, but it is an absolute stunner!  There will be bubbles while playing board games, loads of charcuterie, and lots and lots of laughs! From my family to yours – Happy Holiday!

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
This Thanksgiving, we're keeping things simple, delicious, and easygoing. On the menu: a classic turkey and, weather permitting, maybe a BBQ pork loin. To wash it down, we're opting for the Lone Madrone Carbonic Cinsault – a fruity red that plays well with turkey's savory goodness.

If we successfully get to fire up the grill, I plan on serving a 2020 TCV Grenache to complement both entrees. One of my "go-to" wines for its liveliness and versatility

Joining us at the table will be my sister's family and, of course, visiting from Long Island, Tennessee, and the coast of Oregon, my brand-new in-laws from Amber's side. We're looking forward to the laughs, stories, and shared joy that make Thanksgiving special. So, here's to good food, great company, and a couple of wines that promise to make it a Thanksgiving to remember. Cheers!

Amanda Collins, Cellar Assistant
Thanksgiving is one of the most unpredictable holidays in my opinion. I never know where we are going, who’s going to be there, or what’s going to be served until the last few days before. I know that probably puts me in a severe minority here…. 

That being said, this usually means grabbing wines that can be paired with just about anything! So this year I’m going with our Clairette Blanche and our Counoise. Clairette is light crisp and a bit shy so as to not overwhelm the palate, she’s pretty without being boastful. Then we have counoise that carries its light spice quality on the back of lovely juicy notes that tend to lift the holiday spirits and compliments a variety of dishes! I hope I chose correctly!!! Either way, we are sure to be surrounded by good people, good food, and many fun wines! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Austin Collins, Cellar and Vineyard
After a long hard harvest Thanksgiving will be a welcome reprieve from work madness. The same as every year I believe it important to drink 2023 Beaujolais Nouveau from several producers. It drinks so very fresh and lightens up the heavy thanksgiving dishes. It is also likely that we will open a few bottles of Esprit de Tablas Blanc, vintages yet to be chosen, but I am leaning toward the 2021, as it is very lively right now. Finally, to cap it all off I will be opening a 2014 Domaine Berthet-Bondet Vin Jaune. I love Vin Jaune, especially for this time of year, and especially from Chateau Chalon. Happy Thanksgiving.

Neil Collins, Director of Winemaking
What wines will be on our Thanksgiving table this year?

We will certainly be opening a 2022 Lone Madrone Wirz Riesling, Cienega Valley, planted in 1964, as it was recently released and we're all excited about it, perfect for the day. I also have been saving a bottle of Reyneke Chenin Blanc, a natural wine, Demeter biodynamic certified from South Africa. I am generally not especially a fan of natural wines as they are often a bit funky for me, often tasting like everything I spend my life trying to avoid, but when in the right hands and well-made they can be very special. This bottle was a gift from my friend Tommy Oldre, he konws my taste well so I trust that it will be fun. As always there will be an Esprit Blanc and an Esprit Red present, There will surely be Bristols Cider lurking in the ice box. In a wine focused family it is always fun to see what shows up on the table.

Enjoy a great table of food, wine and great company. When the three align it makes for something truly special!!!!!

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
I am looking at a smaller group around the table this year, so I won't open as many bottles as usual. That being the case, I need to make sure they're the good stuff! We'll start with some Champagne from Delamotte. Then, I have a bottle of Condrieu, a Cinsaut from Sandlands, and a few red Burgundies to choose from in my cellar. The Cinsaut is the one I am most curious to try. I feel Cinsaut (like Counoise) should have a lot of success with Thanksgiving dinner.

Terrence Crowe, Tasting Room
Tis the season to be thankful. Thankful for for family, friends and the creek of Tablas. The wines for this years thanksgiving feast are as follows:

2015 Esprit de Tablas rouge 

2019 Marsanne 

2021 Counoise 

2021 Famille Perrin Les Sinards Blanc 

The wines are a representation  of my ‘thanksgiving’ to an organization that is a true pillar of the community. An authentic, forerunner and leader in a town undergoing much recent change. 

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
My family will be deep in the oyster lands of West Marin County on the holiday, so I'm packing my last bottle of 2020 Laurent Tribut Chablis AC to accompany some raw Kumamotos if all goes well. Tribut is a classic and hard to find longtime Vineyard Brands small production gem. When I had this vintage a couple months back, it tasted like lemon zest and oyster shells itself, with the ripeness of the year smoothing out the producer's hallmark austerity.  

Chelsea Franchi, Senior Assistant Winemaker
After so many jokes that Harvest 2023 was going to end sometime in 2024, I’m incredibly grateful to get to celebrate Thanksgiving with my little family without worrying about breaking up the day with fermentation cap management; we’re finished in the cellar and are slowly assimilating back into society! This year, my husband, daughter and I will be heading to Mexico for some much-needed (and appreciated) post-harvest bonding time. While Mexico does produce wines, I’ll likely be focusing on cervezas and tequila/mezcal based cocktails to pair with the local fare. Wherever and however you are celebrating, I hope your glass is filled with something that elevates the experience and brings immense joy!

Eddie Garcia, Logistics
After a several year hiatus of not traveling for Thanksgiving… this year I’m packing my bags and hitting the road to Phoenix. But, I’m making sure that I’m not leaving empty handed and bringing a taste of Paso with me . I have two wines that I’m excited to share with my family this year. The first is a 2020 Le Cuvier Zinfandel. A solid choice to introduce Paso Zinfandel to a couple family members I found out recently have never tasted a Zin! And my second choice is a 2020 “The Dance” Cabernet Sauvignon from Barton Family Wines. A solid west side Cab. that I’m bringing for the family members who like hearty reds… *my hand is raised*.   

Most importantly though taking time to be thankful for the chance in spending time with family, my kids being healthy/happy and being part of the TCV family. Happy Thanksgiving!

Kaitlyn Glynn, Cellar Assistant
This Thanksgiving we will be starting the day with some autumn cocktails before moving on to the wines. First up will be an easy drinking 2022 Grenache Pet Nat from Dreamcote which will pair nicely with the football we will be watching that day! Next we have a lineup of 2021 Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc, the 2021 Hot Blooded Counoise from Barton Family Wines, and the 2021 Lapsus from Benom to enjoy throughout the day and with our feast. Happy Thanksgiving!

Craig Hamm, Assistant Winemaker
This Thanksgiving came up real quick on me. Having just pressed of most of the grapes in the cellar, I haven’t had much time to think about the upcoming holidays. Our Thanksgiving dinner will be held at my brother’s house. I will be opening a 2022 Patelin Rosé as my mother would like to have a glass of a rose with her meal. We opened a few different Turley wines at harvest lunches and they have been amazing, so I will stop by and pick up a bottle of something they are pouring in there tasting room on Vineyard Drive. Nice perk when living in wine country! I will bring a bottle I made from Velo Vineyard Syrah in 2018. There has to be a Grenache on the table so Tablas Creek 2021 Grenache will definitely be there. Cheers and Happy holidays.

Dusty Hannah, Tasting Room
This year I am looking forward to having a traditional type Thanksgiving with some close friends. Friends that are very special to me and because of that I want to share some special bottles. Therefore, I couldn't think of anything better than Tablas Creek.

1997 Tablas Creek Rouge. I was fortunate enough to land one of these bottles as a gift from Neil Collins, and I even got to sample another bottle a few months ago and it still has plenty of life! Really looking forward to it!

 

2019 Tablas Creek Counoise. Before I discovered this wonderful grape, my Thanksgiving wine was a Cru Beaujolais, but Counoise has now taken over as my mainstay for Thanksgiving. It has soft tannins, wonderful notes of red fruit and good acidity, which is something that is needed to pair with my wide range of dishes on my table.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Cheers.

Ray King, Tasting Room
My family and I will enjoy a small traditional Thanksgiving here in Paso Robles. We will be enjoying:

2018 Haliotide, Extra Brut Rosé, 100% Pinot Noir. San Luis Obispo County. 12.2 abv 

2020 Bico Amarelo, Vinho Verde, Portugal. 11.5 abv

2022 Delmore, Pinot Noir, Humboldt County. Dry farmed. 13.2 abv

2021 Tablas Creek Vineyard, Mourvèdre. ROC & CCOF certified. 13.0 abv. 

 

Simple and delicious. 

Jordan Lonborg, Viticulturist (sent in from vacation)
A magnum of 2018 Esprit Rouge for the family this year! 

Erin Mason, Regenerative Specialist
This is the first Thanksgiving in a long time that I don’t have some specific wine in mind for the table. American wines always feel right for this holiday, though. So if I’m drinking and sharing what I have (and love) that fits the theme…then I’ll be opening a 2021 Desire Lines Massa Vineyard Riesling, a 2021 Sandlands Red Table Wine, and a 2019 Hirsch Vineyard Block 8 Pinot Noir. But I might just be drinking gin and tonics! 

Joanna Mohr, Harvest Intern
I’m a last minute everything so my Thanksgiving wines are yet to be bought, but I can’t get enough of our current release Grenache so that will absolutely be enjoyed. I can never choose between pairing turkey with white or red because I think both are equally as fun. I had a great Muscadet Sur Lié the other day that I think will pair great. And a Chinon almost always makes an appearance!

John Morris, Tasting Room Manager
For me the key to Thanksgiving is to keep it simple.  Unless you’re hosting a group of wine geeks, getting too caught up in the perfect pairing can seem a bit much with all that’s going on with both food and guests.  Most writers will relay the same basic info:  choose, low-tannin, moderate-alcohol reds, or richer whites with minimal to no oak.  Fortunately, if you’re choosing Tablas Creek wines, there’s no shortage of options!  Counoise, Grenache, and Côte de Tablas are great choices for reds, while, Marsanne, Bourboulenc, and Côtes de Tablas Blanc are great white choices.  Or maybe an Esprit de Tablas Blanc if you really, really (and I mean really) like your guests.  This year however, I stopped by Wines on Main in Templeton, which was just opened by Jennifer Baeza, a long-time Tasting Room  host here at Tablas Creek, and picked up a 2018 Zyme Valpolicella from Veneto in Northern Italy as the main wine for the meal.  Although I haven’t had this wine, I love Valpolicellas for their medium weight, floral aromas, and subtle fruitiness that is often countered by a touch of bitterness.  Let’s see how it turns out!

Gustavo Prieto, Bidynamicist
Like most years I like to start with bubbles and I’m opening a Cremant de Loire Amirault N/V, from a great producer and it is biodynamic!

For the dinner table, as always I love to have one of my favorites whites from Tablas, a 2004 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc, a powerful vintage that will go well with all the different flavors. For reds, a pretty 2005 Esprit the Beaucastel from a great vintage year, also we’ll have on the table a great producer from Cornas, France, Alain Voge, 2019 Chapelle Saint-Pierre. This is a 100% Syrah, with beautiful earthy notes, made from biodynamic grown grapes.

Sarah Schultz, Harvest Intern
Getting to see my family is one of the many reasons why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Our Thanksgiving is an all day affair with food, games, and of course, wine. This year as our family from Lakeport, CA, cannot make it, we have decided to drink wines from Lake county that way they are celebrating with us in spirit. We will start the morning with a light breakfast and Boatique Brut Bubbles. (Pomegranate or orange juice optional) Appetizers include my moms signature spinach dip and popping open a bottle of Brassfield 2021 Pinot Gris. Our dinner is a traditional smoked turkey dinner cooked by my dad this year being served with 2017 Writers Block Syrah. Happy Thanksgiving!

And as for me...
Typically, my choice is to open the largest bottle I have to hand at Thanksgiving gatherings. There's usually a story behind a big bottle, and the randomness of "just open it" adds a certain amount of pleasurable discovery to the gathering, as well as the festivity that large bottles bring. But for the first time in more than 15 years, I'm spending Thanksgiving in Vermont where I grew up, and my dad really didn't collect large-format bottles. So we did the best we could by buying a magnum of Domaine Tempier Rosé from our lovely local wine shop Meditrina, and we'll open some of the lovely old Burgundies that my dad laid down. Here are some of the options:

We'll probably want a white as well, and my go-to is Esprit Blanc with some -- but not too much -- age. Maybe the 2012 that has been so pretty recently. We'll probably also break into a dessert wine, because if not with a meal like this, when you have a crowd around the table and aren't expected to do anything beyond play games and watch football, when?!? Beyond that, we'll have to see! 

Wherever you are, however you're celebrating, please know that we are thankful for you. May your celebrations be memorable, the wines you open outstanding, and the company even better.

An Internship Unlike Any Other: An Interview with Liberty Wines Apprentice Ceren Eroglu

By Ian Consoli

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’re aware that each year, we host three harvest interns here at Tablas Creek. Getting to know these interns is always a treat, and knowing that, three months later, they leave steeped in Tablas Creek’s practices and with experience in all aspects of harvest is great. It’s one of the ways that we pay it forward. But this year, an additional opportunity dropped into our laps. In February, we received an email from Liberty Wines, our agent in the UK, about their Apprentice Scheme.  Liberty Wines’ Head of Education, Clare Whitehead, summarized the program:

We have now been running the Liberty Wines Apprentice scheme since 2007 and have had one (or two) apprentices every year since! Unique in the industry, our 2-year programme offers candidates a detailed and wide-ranging experience of many departments within the organisation. They are also supported through the WSET Diploma Level 4 and undertake two vintages in the northern and southern hemispheres.

It has given Liberty an excellent way to grow talent and provides opportunities to people who might not have otherwise chosen wine as a career. We are proud to send our apprentices to our producers, as ambassadors of Liberty Wines and look forward to their return a newfound intimate knowledge of not just winemaking, but also the producer!

We were asked by Liberty Wines if we’d be interested in hosting one of their apprentices for their northern hemisphere harvest. Our response: “of course”! Ceren Eroglu joined the harvest team in early October, making her their first Apprentice to do so in California. She proved to be an immediate asset to the team. Winemaker Neil Collins commented on her engaging nature, intellect, and strong work ethic as valuable components to this harvest's success. "We wish she could have stayed longer!"

Alas, Ceren concluded her one-month harvest this week and will continue her internship back in the United Kingdom. But before she left, I sat down with her to find out why she did this apprenticeship, learn about her wine journey, and hear about her time at Tablas Creek. We can't wait for you to meet her.

Who are you?

My name is Ceren Eroglu. I am an Apprentice at Liberty Wines and have been here for about a month, helping with the harvest at Tablas Creek.

 What is Liberty Wines?

Liberty Wines is one of the UK's leading wine importers and distributors.

 Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself? Where did you grow up?

I'm from Turkey but moved around a lot growing up. We lived in Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Austria before I moved to Canada for college. I live in London now and have been in the UK for the last eight and a half years or so.

 How did you get into wine?

I did my master's in the UK and started working at a financial services research company immediately after. During the lockdowns in 2020, I was going stir-crazy working from home and decided to take a few wine courses. I really enjoyed them, so I spoke to a few friends in the wine industry and decided to switch to wine in October of last year. So it's been exactly a year.

 What wine classes were you taking?

I lived around the corner from the WSET school in London, and I just walked by and thought, "I like wine. This is something I could learn more about." It was just purely by chance. I did levels two and three while working in finance, and now I'm completing my WSET Diploma.

Can you explain what that means regarding working with Liberty, completing the diploma, and what that connection is to Tablas Creek?

Sure. I am in Liberty Wines' two-year Apprenticeship program, working with different teams across the company every month to two months. That gives me exposure to and an understanding of how every single team works, the company, the industry, how we fit within it, and how we can be the best company within it. From my view, the goal of the Apprenticeship is to get a holistic understanding of the wine industry and Liberty wines more generally. Part of that includes two harvests abroad: one in the northern hemisphere, which I'm completing here now, and one in the southern hemisphere, which I will hopefully take part in around February or March next year. It also includes the WSET diploma. I'm about halfway through the second semester of the diploma.

How long do you work the harvests?

It depends. Northern Hemisphere is typically a month, so I'm doing five weeks here at Tablas. Southern Hemisphere is typically about two months just because you're going further away, but I guess I've come a pretty long way anyway.

 Is it common for apprentices to come to the US?

It is typically Europe. It's sometimes based on language requirements, sometimes based on producers. I speak a bit of French, so it was between France and the US. The Brand Manager who covers our producers in the US works with Tablas Creek, and she highly recommended coming here.

 Does it have to be a company that Liberty distributes?

Yes, it's typically a producer we have a really good relationship with who will take the time to teach the apprentice how to make wine and show them around the area.

How's it going?

Really good. I'm having the best time. It's totally different to my day-to-day job. I had to write an email the other day and realized I'd forgotten my laptop password [laughs]. The team is welcoming, and there's a strong sense of community here that I'm really going to miss. This has been a great place for my first harvest because of how understanding and happy to answer questions everyone is.

Do you feel like this harvest has helped you understand your WSET courses and diploma?

A hundred percent. Seeing everything has been amazing. I understood the theory behind winemaking, viticulture, vinification, all that stuff, but it was just theory. I had never seen everything in action, and seeing it solidified everything in my mind. It is interesting to see how the team works with different grapes, especially red grapes. Different types of cap management, days of fermentation, how they process the fruit, whether whole cluster or not, which choices they may or may not make, what kind of barrels to use. All of that. Seeing those decisions made in real-time has been super helpful for the rest of my studies.

What are your plans at the conclusion of this internship?

I'll spend a few days in Sonoma and Napa with my partner, then travel along the coast. We'll spend a few more days in Paso so I can show him Tablas before we head back to London. I'll be going straight back to work. I will likely work with Customer Services over Christmas, then prepare for the Southern Hemisphere harvest.

What's the best bottle of wine you've ever had?

The best bottle of Tablas Creek was the 2015 Roussanne. I think it's fantastic, so much depth and complexity and so much potential to age further. We tried the 2003 Vermentino with lunch a few weeks ago. That was fantastic too. It's aged beautifully, was quite refreshing, and really vibrant.

Is there anything else you want to share with the Tablas Creek audience?

I think Tablas makes great wines, and I'm so excited to keep enjoying them!

While We Wait for First Fruit: An Interview with our 2023 Harvest Interns

By Ian Consoli

Every year, we like to sit with our newest harvest interns and introduce them to the Tablas Creek Blog audience. We typically do this about this time of year, when they have at least a week of harvesting fruit under their belt and an idea of how harvest is going. Well, as you have likely read on this blog, that's not the case this year! One week into September, this new batch of interns eagerly awaits the first fruit to drop into the cellar. So, this year, we sat down before the rush. What stood out to me is how different their personalities are, yet they are motivated by the same thing: seeing what's next. It is kind of a theme for harvest interns. It is a step towards a career in winemaking for some and a chance to see the process and get closer to the grape for others. This group has a mix of both motivations. They are all awesome, and I can't wait for you to meet them.

Tablas Creek Harvest Interns. From left: Joanna Mohr, Sarah Schultz, Trevor Pollock

 Who are you?

I am Sarah Schultz. I am a cellar intern at Tablas Creek.

I'm Trevor Pollock. I'm from Paso Robles, California. I'm 23 years old and doing an internship for this harvest.

I'm Joanna Mohr. That's a loaded, vast question I ask myself every day. But yeah, Joanna, and I'm from Minnesota, born and raised.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Bakersfield, California, and went to college at Cal Poly. I have lived in SLO for five years.

2023 Harvest Intern Sarah Schultz

I grew up in Paso, but I've moved around a lot. Most recently, I lived in Colorado for about a year and a half, working at a ski resort and being a ski bum. I moved back about seven months ago.

I'm from Minnesota, but I have lived in many places. I worked for a marketing agency that had offices all over the world. I moved with them to Australia for three years and then to London after that. That's how I got into wine, actually.

How did you get into wine?

I went to a wedding at a winery during my sophomore year of high school, and I thought it was the coolest thing that people got to make wine for a living. So that's how I got into it. Now, I want to be a winemaker.

Well, I'm getting into wine right now. I studied plant science over at Cuesta and worked on some farms. I found this opportunity to work at a winery and decided that if I was going to work at a winery, I wanted it to be a place as biodiverse as Tablas.

I went to all the wine regions in Australia and liked it, but I didn't think I would do anything with it. When I moved to London, there were more opportunities to work in wine, and my friend recommended I go to wine school. That sounded great, but I didn't even know what a sommelier was at the time. I went through WSET, and I just loved it. So, I left marketing and became a sommelier.

Have you ever worked in grape harvest before?

I have; this is my fourth harvest. My first was at Phase Two Cellars in San Luis Obispo, then King's Family Vineyard in Virginia, Patson Hall in Sonoma, and now here at Tablas Creek!

Nope, my first one.

I helped pick and prune at a couple wineries in Minnesota, but I haven't done a full harvest. Vineyards in Minnesota are a little different varietally because of the cold climate, but the process is pretty much the same. Except it's a bit more gnarly in terms of the cold; we had a harvest in a snowstorm one year, and it was minus 30, so it was pretty intense in October.

How did you end up working harvest with us?

My goal is to work a harvest in as many locations as possible to figure out where I want to settle. I knew I wanted to come to Paso, then I saw Tablas's job listing, applied, and here I am.

I was in Europe over the summer and heard about his opportunity. I decided to cut my trip short and come back to start harvest.

2023 Harvest Intern Trevor Pollock

I got super into biodynamics when I was in Europe, and Tablas always stood out as a winery I was interested in working at in the United States. I applied for the internship two years ago, but it was full by the time I applied. I didn't plan on applying this year, but I saw [Senior Assistant Winemaker] Chelsea's post about looking for interns, and I was like, I'll just shoot a shot. I sent her an email and resume, she remembered me, and here I am.

How is everything going so far?

So far so good. I love all the people. And how can you not be happy when you come to work and you're surrounded by dogs?

It's going great. Getting everything clean and ready for harvest, just prepping stuff.

Everything's good! It's nice to have time to come before the chaos happens and learn the ropes without getting thrown in. Being quite green at it, it's nice to have an idea of what to do. Everyone's super awesome to work with, and it's a really good crew. So far, so good.

What's the best bottle of wine you ever had?

The best bottle of wine I've ever had was Shooting Star Riesling from Lake County Steel Wine. I don't know. It's my favorite wine.

That's a tough one. Recently, I had a really good Viognier with my mom in our backyard. Memorable wines are all about the whole experience of where your surroundings are and who you're sharing it with. I don't remember specifically what the bottle was, but it was a nice Viognier and a nice environment.

Ironically, Chateau de Beaucastel. I was in the South of France and tasted a bottle of Chateau de Beaucastel that shifted something for me. I feel like anyone who has had a best bottle of wine understands how it shifts wine from just being wine to being something else entirely. It is hard to put into words. The wine becomes something that connects you to a place, a time and a memory and something deeper within. And that was before Tablas, so it was cool to find out they were connected. That was kind of like an icing on the cake.

2023 Harvest Intern Joanna Mohr

What's next for you after your harvest?

Honestly, I don't really know yet. I think that's future Sarah's problem. I don't know. Again, I want to go to as many locations as possible. So somewhere, but I don't really know where yet. I want to do some harvest hopping and go to Australia or New Zealand, but we will see.

I'm not sure. I want to travel a lot more, so I'm thinking about doing a harvest in the Southern Hemisphere. I'd love to go to South America, Australia, or New Zealand.

Not sure. I kind of roll with wherever the wind takes me. I've wanted to do a harvest ever since I first got into wine, just because I want to learn this side of wine. I've been on the sommelier side for so long. I want to learn everything I can here, and I'm super passionate about biodynamics. We will see what happens at the end and where the path goes from here.

Is there anything else you want to share with the Tablas Creek audience?

I think that's it, man. I'm ready for harvest 2023, baby. Let's go!

I'm excited to make wine for you guys this season!

A Rhone Enthusiast Joins the Team: An Interview with Cellar Assistant Kaitlyn Glynn

Seeing a new team member join us at Tablas Creek is always exciting. Just recently, Kaitlyn Glynn joined our cellar team in advance of harvest 2023. She comes to us with tons of experience, much of it from other wineries in Paso Robles. It became evident that she is well-known and well-liked when she made a cameo on one of our Instagram posts, and most responses were addressed to her. In the newest piece for our Get to Know the Tablas Cru series, we sat down with Tablas Creek's newest employee to learn more about her path to our cellar.

 Who are you?

I'm Kaitlyn Glynn, the new cellar assistant at Tablas Creek. I just started at the beginning of June, about a month ago.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in north LA in a town called Tujunga. It's by the 101, in the mountains bordering the foothills. My family's all still there, and I go down all the time.

When and how did you get into wine?

I got into wine kind of by accident. I was applying to colleges and unsure what I wanted to do, but I knew I liked chemistry in high school. I applied to UC Davis for viticulture and enology. I decided to take a chance when I got accepted and started the program. On the first day of classes, my very first lecture was Intro to Viticulture. I just fell in love, and there was no going back.

Have you worked in cellars before?

Yes, this is going to be my sixth harvest. I've worked in the lab as an enologist for the Riboli Family of San Antonio Winery here in Paso. I have been a cellar rat for many harvests. I did a little bit of viticulture work at my second harvest at Matchbook Wine Company up in Northern California. I've worked in tasting rooms. Most recently, I was pouring at Benom in Tin City. I also worked in a beer cellar for a while at Silva Brewing. So all sorts of things.

How did you end up working at Tablas Creek?

The last cellar position I held was in 2022 at Alta Colina, and the incredible winemaker there, Molly Lonborg, informed me of this opportunity and encouraged me to apply. That's how I heard about it, and with her help and support, I'm here.

What rituals do you have during harvest?

I don't know about rituals, but I definitely have a caffeine addiction that I develop during harvest. You know, some good cold brews, lots of shots of espresso. Just anything under the sun that has caffeine in it <laughs>. I manage to kick it afterward, but every year it comes back.

I also listen to a lot of music in the cellar during harvest. I like to make a playlist every year with my favorite songs, whether I listen to them while I'm working or on my drive to work, to pump me up to get ready for all of the hard work in front of me. I always try to find the best music to motivate me.

What is the toughest harvest you ever participated in?

Every harvest has its challenges. I'd say the toughest would be last year's harvest with the heat wave. It felt like we went just overnight from zero to 100. And it was a lot of long hours and hard work, but the team was amazing. We did the best we could with the weather circumstances and rocked it out. It was so rewarding tasting the wines at the end after harvest and seeing all our hard work pay off.

 What is your ultimate goal in Cellar work?

Learn everything I can and be a part of making a beautiful product. I love working in the cellar. I love being hands-on, and I love learning. So it's been really rewarding working in cellars and just getting to do all those things.

If a genie said you could be a head winemaker anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

For me, it's not so much the where; it's the who I'm working with and what I'm doing. I want to be somewhere that is making varietals I'm interested in. I love Rhones; it's my current obsession. I love being here in Paso because we do Rhones so well in that California style. I want to be making something I'm passionate about and working with people who share that passion. The care that goes into the bottle and ensuring we celebrate each vintage and the unique property we're sourcing from is important.

What's the best bottle of wine you ever had?

The best bottle I've had recently was a Domain Laroche Chateauneuf du Pape. It's a hundred percent Grenache from about a hundred-year-old vines, insanely good.

Would you rather:

Cake or pie?

Pie, but it has to be homemade.

Breathe underwater or fly?

Definitely fly

 New World Wine or Old World Wine

New World

 Be a winemaker or a viticulturist?

Winemaker

Behind Every Good Company is a Great Accountant: An Interview with Senior Accountant Trina Meulpolder

By Ian Consoli

Every company is full of unsung heroes. These silent warriors typically dwell in departments such as IT, HR, and (of course) Accounting. For the newest addition to our "Get to know the Tablas Cru" series, we wanted to shine a light on a key member of our team, Senior Accountant Trina Meulpolder. Trina joined Tablas Creek in August 2021 and made an immediate impression. She occupies one of the desks that line the hallway of our offices. This position comes with a fair amount of pressure because it is hard for those walking by to resist saying hi. Trina has risen to the pressure since day one, between her readily available smile and quick-witted humor.

Trina holds an essential job as an accountant. She ensures that our suppliers get paid, our customers get their products, and our operation has the data it needs to understand what our options are when we need to and has the money that it needs in the right places at the right times. Her ability to organize, communicate, and maneuver around a spreadsheet help dial in many of the backend processes at Tablas Creek. She's a big part of making everything tick, so we can get you your wines without delay. We are thankful for everything Trina does. I can't wait for you to meet her:

Who are you?

I am Trina Meulpolder, the Senior Accountant at Tablas Creek.

Where did you grow up?

Sacramento, California. And I relocated to the area in 2005.

What's your family life like?

Awesome. I have a wonderful husband, a daughter of my own, six stepkids, and three beautiful grandkids. It is a big family, and it's wonderful. They are all here on the Central Coast, so I see them often.

What do you do in your free time?

In my free time, we like to go camping in the mountains and desert and go out to eat with our friends. My hobbies are napping and spending time with our three grandkids.

How did you get into the wine industry?

After relocating here, I was looking for a job. Justin Winery had a position for a marketing assistant, and I decided to apply for it. That was my door into the wine industry.

What other experience did you have before Tablas Creek?

Nothing in the wine industry. I started out as a receptionist for a recycling data processing company right out of high school and worked my way up through the company into an accounting role. I took a few accounting courses and had a wonderful mentor who taught me everything I needed to know to move up in the company.

How did you hear about Tablas Creek?

After 14 years at Justin Winery, I decided it was time to move on. I saw a job posting for Tablas Creek and decided to look into the company. After researching, I decided I really liked what Tablas Creek stood for and wanted to be a part of the team.

How do you like jobs so far?

I love it. I love the people I work for and what Tablas Creek stands for.

What is the most interesting piece of your job?

Learning the vineyard side of the business. I worked at a winery but never got involved in the vineyard/growing side. I enjoy learning about the biodynamic practices of Tablas Creek.

What excites you the most about Tablas Creek?

That we are always striving to do better, we want to take care of the earth, reduce our carbon footprint, take care of our farm workers, and we're never ever satisfied with where we are.

What are you most excited about in your role?

To see how a different winery does things and bring a new perspective on how to do things here at Tablas.

How do you define happiness?

Spending time with my husband and family.

Any closing thoughts?

I love working here. I love being part of what Tablas stands for and am excited to see what's to come.